Lawrence and Hutcherson Return for Hunger Games Prequel

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, who portrayed Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the original Hunger Games films, are set to reprise their roles in the upcoming prequel "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping." The film, scheduled for theatrical release on November 20, 2026, marks their return to the franchise a decade after the 2015 conclusion of the series.

The movie adapts Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel of the same name and is set 24 years before the events of the first Hunger Games film. It centers on the 50th edition of the annual competition, known as the Second Quarter Quell, where districts send double the usual number of tributes, totaling 48 young participants forced into a deadly arena battle. The story follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy from District 12 as he navigates the games, leading a rebellion against the event's organizers. Haymitch, later mentored by Woody Harrelson in the original films, emerges as a key figure whose experiences shape his future role as a mentor to Katniss and Peeta.

Joseph Zada stars as the young Haymitch, with a supporting cast that includes Elle Fanning as a younger Effie Trinket, Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow,...